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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26801620">shoebox diorama</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetchachkii/pseuds/violetchachkii'>violetchachkii</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Luke and Alex's Weird and Extraordinary Love Story [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Can be read as friendship only, Gen, M/M, Past Fic, cursing, implied future relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:48:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26801620</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetchachkii/pseuds/violetchachkii</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>He looked around the classroom, trying to see if he could see a matching ‘2’ on any packets. The flurry of white paper and movement around the classroom obscured his vision. He caught sight of Reggie settling into the desk next to Amber McCullough. </i>Asshole<i>, Luke thought, not missing the smirk on his friend’s lips. </i><br/><br/><i>“Oh, you have number 2, Alex. You’re partnered with Luke.”</i></p>
<p>Or, Luke and Alex meet for the first time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex/Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Luke and Alex's Weird and Extraordinary Love Story [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>132</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>shoebox diorama</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the first fic in a series I plan to work on for Alex/Luke. I decided to break them into one-shots since some can stand alone and some can be read as just friendship fics. My plan was to do a fic for every day in October, but we are obviously past that. I hope to get multiple parts to this, but we shall see! </p>
<p>Thank you to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesawbears">wesawbears</a> for her wonderful editing.</p>
<p>Feedback and kudos are appreciated.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Don’t look down cause we’re…</em>
</p>
<p>Luke’s hand stopped its movement on his notebook page as Miss Willis plunked a box on his desk. It was thick cardboard, streaks of white paint covering the label for a pair woman’s size 8 dress shoes. Luke groaned internally at the new resident on his desk. It could only mean one thing: group project. Wasn’t school already torture enough without adding having to work well with others to the mix?</p>
<p>“You will be working in pairs to create a diorama of significant moments in ancient history,” Miss Willis began, handing out the last box. “I have given half of you a box and the other half a packet. Each has a number on it. Whoever has your corresponding number will be your partner.”</p>
<p>A chorus of groans rang throughout the freshmen classroom. Everyone’s eyes stopped their searching out of their closest friend in the class. <em>Even worse</em>, Luke thought. Group work and he had to work with a stranger. He could only hope that his partner was more motivated than him for a passing grade. His parents were on his case about his current ‘D’ and he had a feeling this project could make or break him passing this class.  </p>
<p>Luke turned the box over, looking for his assigned number. A large ‘2’ written in black magic marker stared back at him. He looked around the classroom, trying to see if he could see a matching ‘2’ on any packets. The flurry of white paper and movement around the classroom obscured his vision. He caught sight of Reggie settling into the desk next to Amber McCullough. <em>Asshole</em>, Luke thought, not missing the smirk on his friend’s lips.</p>
<p>“Oh, you have number 2, Alex. You’re partnered with Luke.”</p>
<p>Luke’s head shot up as Miss Willis’ voice moved closer to him. Trailing closely behind her was a kid with blond hair and a faded Eric Clapton t-shirt. Had he been in his class all year? It felt like the first time Luke had ever seen him.</p>
<p>Miss Willis and the presumed Alex stopped in front of Luke’s desk. “Here you are. Luke, this is Alex.”</p>
<p>Luke sat up in his chair. One unmistakable fact about Alex was that he was tall. Taller than Luke by a few inches at least. At 14, one could only guess that Alex was fortunate in the growth spurt department. His shoulders slouched and his hands remained buried in his pockets. He had all the makings of someone who could be imposing if he had more confidence.</p>
<p>“What’s up, man?” Luke greeted, a smile breaking out on his face. Miss Willis looked pleased with Luke’s reaction and left them to it.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Alex said, voice low and eyes downcast. Luke frowned.</p>
<p>“It looks like we’re partners.”</p>
<p>“Looks like it.”</p>
<p>Alex cleared his throat and gestured to the desk beside Luke. Luke gestured back, encouraging him to sit. The legs of the desk scraped on the floor, making Luke wince at the sound. Once Alex deemed himself close enough, he climbed into the seat. His legs stuck out further than the desk allowed. Luke swung himself around, facing the side so he could get a better look at his partner.</p>
<p>Beneath his mop of floppy blond hair, Luke could see Alex’s eyes. They were blue; bluer than Luke thought he had ever seen. Uncertainty shone in his light irises. Alex stared down at the pen in his hand, eyes flicking over to Luke and back down. He tapped the end of the pen on the palm of his hand. There was a rhythm to it. Luke’s foot tapped.</p>
<p>“You have good rhythm,” Luke said before he could hold himself back.</p>
<p>At his words, Alex looked fully over at him. His hair swung out of his eyes, giving Luke a better view of his face. Luke’s chest tightened at the sight. He cleared his throat, willing the tightness to lessen. Alex didn’t seem to notice.</p>
<p>“I play the drums,” Alex said, his voice as timid as his face.</p>
<p>“Sick!” Luke blurted. Eyes around the classroom flocked to him. Luke’s face heated up and he slunk further into his chair.</p>
<p>“You think so?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Luke said, quieter this time. “Me and my friends are actually looking for a drummer for our band. Are you any good?”</p>
<p>Alex bit his lip and looked around. No one seemed to be paying attention to them anymore.</p>
<p>“Give me your pen.”</p>
<p>Luke did as he was told, relinquishing his pen to his partner. Alex did another quick sweep of the classroom before gripping his own pen in his right hand and Luke’s in his left. He lifted his wrists and began a simple beat on the desk. Luke listened to the gentle tapping. His foot followed along to the rhythm.</p>
<p>The steady beats changed in rhythm as Alex used his whole desk as a mock drumkit. Luke bobbed his head, enjoying the sound of the repeated taps. He imagined what it would sound like if Alex was shredding on an actual kit. His heart sang with a hope hadn’t felt since stumbling across Bobby’s bored face in 7<sup>th</sup> grade band practice as he played repeated G-chords. He could already hear a sick bassline from Reggie joining in with Alex’s drumming.</p>
<p>“Dude, that’s killer,” Luke said, bringing his foot up onto his seat. He tapped a beat on his knee, joining Alex in his playing.</p>
<p>A smile quirked in the corner of Alex’s lips. Luke smiled back, all teeth and joy. Alex’s own smile grew just seeing Luke’s enthusiasm. They drummed together, following each other’s leads. Luke looked as his notebook, open to the song he had been working on before being interrupted by the forgotten box on his desk. <em>This could work</em>, he thought.</p>
<p>“Boys!”</p>
<p>Their hands stopped their movements at the sound of Miss Willis’ voice. She gave them a severe look from across the classroom.</p>
<p>“Your project. Get to work.”</p>
<p>Luke’s eyes looked back to Alex and were met with deep blue. Neither could contain their giddy laughter.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <b><br/>
<span>♫</span><span>♫</span><span>♫</span>
  </b></p>
</div><b></b><p>
  <b></b>
</p>
<p>The smell of school glue and modeling clay was getting stifling in Luke’s bedroom. He laid on his bed, back against his thick comforter. Plastic stars covered the ceiling above his bed in an uneven pattern. Their green glow was not as a strong as it was back when he and Reggie stuck them up there. But still, there was something comforting about looking up and seeing them staring back down. They felt like childhood.</p>
<p>“I don’t think this looks like Darius.”</p>
<p>Luke furrowed his brow and flipped over. Alex was seated cross-legged on the floor, a tiny clay figurine in his hand. His fingers were covered in grey matter. Luke chuckled at the puzzled expression on his face.</p>
<p>“Who cares? Who even is Darius anyway?” Luke asked with a shrug.</p>
<p>“He was the last king of the Persian Empire,” Alex answered. Luke just gave him a look.</p>
<p>“I don’t even know why we have to do this. Doesn’t it feel a little…elementary school to you?”</p>
<p>Alex shrugged and placed clay-Darius on a paper towel he had spread out. He used another to wipe the clay from his fingers.</p>
<p>“A little. But don’t you want to pass the class?”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t matter to me,” Luke said, rolling over onto his back again. The stars looked down at him. He could feel their judgment.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Alex asked.</p>
<p>Luke felt his weight join him on the bed. He looked over as Alex laid down beside him it. There was something that felt so intimate about laying with his new friend like this. Luke wanted to shy away from it. But something about Alex’s eyes looking at him with such worry and curiosity kept Luke glued to his spot.</p>
<p>“I’m going to be a rockstar. Rockstars don’t need school,” he explained. It sounded juvenile saying it out loud. Luke’s cheeks flushed.</p>
<p>Alex was quiet. Luke’s skin crawled as he waited for a response. Did Alex think he was a total loser? They had just met and he already sounded crazy. Bobby told him he needed to tone down his intensity sometimes when talking to new people. For once, Luke wished he had listened to that asshole.</p>
<p>“But what if you don’t become a rockstar?” Alex said.</p>
<p>Luke shot up in the bed and stared down at Alex. How could he say something like that? He was used to hearing that type of bluntness from his parents, but not someone he had just met. Alex hadn’t even heard him play yet! If he heard one of his songs, he wouldn’t doubt him for a second. He just needed to hear him.</p>
<p>Without a second thought, Luke stood from his bed. He toed around the supplies laid out on the floor from their forgotten project. His guitar case leaned against his closet, the leather worn and a couple of the clasps hanging by a thread. Well-loved was the best way to describe it.</p>
<p>The squeaking of springs signaled that Alex was sitting up to watch. Luke removed his guitar from the case. He grabbed his favorite pick, orange and red marbled together that he had picked up from the pier. With a deep breath, he turned to Alex and began strumming.</p>
<p>“Take off, last stop,” he sang. “Countdown 'til we blast open the top.”</p>
<p>It was his newest song. Nerves made Luke’s stomach flutter as he sang to Alex. He would be the first one to hear it. He hadn’t even played it for Reggie yet. It felt…special. Was the song making him nervous or was it the way Alex listened with such intent? A small smile stayed on Alex’s face as he bobbed his head to the melody.</p>
<p>As Luke continued his song, Alex began drumming on his knee much like Luke had in class days before. It took only a few tries for his rhythm to match the song Luke played. The sound of the beat only made Luke sing louder, Alex’s drumming like the heartbeat the song had been missing. It fit the song like a glove.</p>
<p>Together, they built to the chorus. Alex hummed beneath Luke’s words, like he was trying to fit something in. When Alex’s hums and Luke’s words matched, it was like electricity lighting up the room. It had been so long since Luke had felt that so strongly. The pieces came together, a ripped stitch knitting together.</p>
<p>Alex stood as the song got closer and closer to the end. Confidence lit up his face as he opened his mouth, finding the words and bringing the harmony to life. Luke stepped closer, fingers moving tirelessly over the frets. Alex followed suit and soon it was like they were breathing the same breath. Alex kept the rhythm and harmony, matching Luke’s energy tit-for-tat.</p>
<p>The song ended before Luke wanted it to. They stood, their ragged breaths the only sound between them. Their eyes met, a whole conversation between them. <em>You in?</em> one pair said.</p>
<p><em>Definitely,</em> the other answered.</p>
<p>Luke stepped forward, not knowing what he was doing. Inches separated them. Another step and Luke felt something crush under his foot. He lifted it and saw grey clay stuck to his sock.</p>
<p>“Darius!” Alex exclaimed.</p>
<p>“Oops.”</p>
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